My above mentioned patent application sets forth compounds which retard the hardening of phenolic resole resins admixed with hardening quantities of magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide, either alone or together with an ester functional hardening agent. This invention sets forth additional retarders. Thus, this invention relates to methods and compositions for retarding the hardening of phenolic resole resins which are hardened with magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide alone or together with an ester functional hardening agent. Such hardening can take place at about room temperature.